Playoffs arrive in Columbus for real

I admit, that on those past occasions when I indulged in envisioning the first ever playoff game at Nationwide Arena, I never really considered the possibility that the Jackets would already be in a 0-2 hole. In my imagination, they had home ice advantage. Which is odd, when you consider it, since how often does a team making the playoffs for the first time ever get home ice?

Does being down in the series dampen my enthusiasm a bit? I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t. But it’s still an awfully exciting thought that tonight I’ll be witnessing playoff hockey at Front & Nationwide. Hell, playoff fever even pushed me to do something I’ve never done in all the time I’ve lived in Columbus — I actually set foot inside the Mall at Tuttle Crossing last night to go buy a playoff t-shirt at the Blueline store there.

Home ice has always been kinder to the Jackets than the road, so I would hope we’ll at least see a more spirited performance out of them than we did in the games in Detroit, especially Game Two. I’d especially like to see Rick Nash step it up. And Modin. And Huselius. And…well, all of them.